When should you help peachicks hatch?

[LostInAppalachia]

We are at the 36 hour mark and he’s done very little to get himself out of the egg. He’s become more vocal today, but there’s no movement. He pipped yesterday at 7 or 8 am. He sat for hours with no movement so I made a small hole in the outer membrane and I can see Heidi break is free and he’s breathing. After failing to help a fully developed chick in my last hatch I didn’t want to make the same mistake so I decided to make sure he can breath. The problem is aside from the initial pip, he’s only made one more small crack. I just peeled back a bit more of the egg in a circle, similar to the way they scissor, while leaving the outer membrane intact. I don’t see any obvious blood vessels. Should I leave him to figure it out?

 

[BirdsBeesTrees]

Ok well that one that zipped all the way is stuck.
Peal back the smaller side of the shell and membrane. Pull out the head and allow it to push out on its own.

 

[Midnightman14]

Very carefully pick away little bits of the shell if you must help. Keep an eye on the inner membrane and if you start seeing blood or blood vessels stop immediately and allow more time before helping again. My eggs start pipping externally sometimes 2 days before they start unzipping.

 

[LostInAppalachia]

Ok well that one that zipped all the way is stuck.
Peal back the smaller side of the shell and membrane. Pull out the head and allow it to push out on its own.

Apparently there was some major blood vessel hiding.

 

[LostInAppalachia]

Very carefully pick away little bits of the shell if you must help. Keep an eye on the inner membrane and if you start seeing blood or blood vessels stop immediately and allow more time before helping again. My eggs start pipping externally sometimes 2 days before they start unzipping.

Thank you. Very helpful. I Used blood stop powder pretty liberally and put him back. Crossing fingers.

 

[LostInAppalachia]

 

[LostInAppalachia]

Houston we have a bambino!

 

[casportpony]

Congrats, how's the chick doing?

 

[KsKingBee]

There are three times when I help out a chick hatching all with varying degrees of success.

One, when the chick zips but the membrane does not release I will pop the top and assure the chick is not stuck and let it push itself out. There are usually no problems involved and the chick will hatch fine on its own, rarely will I have to apply shoes.

Two, when the chick has not lost enough moisture and it pips but the beak is sticking out of the shell and it can not continue zipping. This normally will have problems with feet and sometimes with legs and need attention with shoes or to be taped to a board.

Third, when it is obvious that it is internally pipped and 48 hours or more late from the main hatch I will try chipping away the shell and try to help it hatch. This is not going to end well in most cases but there is nothing to lose when the chick would have died anyway. In this case you will have to give it life support with shoes, board, and crop feeding to help it start growing.

 

[LostInAppalachia]

Congrats, how's the chick doing?

Haha, there’s a new thread about that. exceptionally needy.